


Push

by pinkstarpirate



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, best wingman Sousuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 07:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4738622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkstarpirate/pseuds/pinkstarpirate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin is usually brave, but he needs a little push from his friend Sousuke to do something about this crush he has on Makoto.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Push

Rin isn't sure exactly when Sousuke figured it out, but the next time Rin and his roommate are hanging out with the Iwatobi gang, Sousuke makes his findings known. Rin feels a sharp elbow in his side, and he hears a low chuckle coming from his friend. Oh, Rin blinks and becomes conscious of himself. He must have been staring or something.

"Shut-up," Rin mutters in English, and punctuates it by returning Sousuke's pointy elbow with his own sharp knee.

"So…" Sousuke begins, "So you like Tachibana, not Nanase?"

Rin tries to stop the flush that begins to consume his face. He looks up at his best friend, really pleading this time, "Seriously, don't."

"I figured with all the stupid things you say to, and about Nanase, that _he_ must have been the guy you have a crush on," Sousuke whispers, careful not to be overheard by anyone. "But okay, muscled guys are your type. You and Gou have more in common than I thought."

Well, Rin thinks, he can't really argue with what Sousuke has to say. Though, to be honest, Rin has had small crushes of some kind or another on almost all of his friends. He tries not to, but it's the romantic in him. His feelings always burn hot and bright, but after awhile, they also burn themselves out. His crush on Makoto just happens to be the one that stuck.

"I swear if you do not shut-up..." Rin threatens Sousuke, but it is an empty threat. Really, is there anything Rin could do to stop Sousuke from blurting out this secret if Sousuke chose to?

Sousuke levels Rin with an accusatory look, then glances over at Makoto, and then back at Rin. "Well?" Sousuke asks, finally breaking the silence.

Rin wants to punch him so badly. "Well, what?" Rin asks, not bothering to hide his obvious irritation.

"Go talk to him."

Rin's left eye twitches, and he really has to try not to shout at Sousuke. He doesn't want to risk making a scene, or drawing too much attention to their conversation. In fact, they must already be, because Rin sees Haru glance over at them periodically. When Haru wants to, he can be annoyingly observant.

Rin leans in toward Sousuke and practically hisses, "I don't want to go talk to him."

Rin realises that he is probably just being contrary, but he also really doesn't want to talk to Makoto. Rin is positive he'll make a fool of himself. Rin's crush on Makoto has gone from something innocuous, to a completely irrational, friendship-crippling infatuation.

 _God, just look at him_ , Rin thinks as he glances over at Makoto. Makoto, per usual, is smiling a charming lopsided grin, his affection evident by the way the smile even extends to his eyes, crinkling in this absolutely adorable way that made Rin's stomach flip.

"Oh, you have it bad," Sousuke says, trying to repress a laugh, but failing so much that he has to fake cough to cover it up.

"You are the worst friend," Rin tells Sousuke. He is. Sousuke is the worst. The _very_ worst.

Sousuke takes this attack on his character in stride. Rin thinks Sousuke might actually drop it, that is, until he watches Sousuke walk right over to Makoto and strike up a conversation.

 _THE VERY, VERY WORST_ , Rin tells himself, seething as Sousuke says something to Makoto and then motions toward Rin.

Would Rin be a bad person if he just walked up to Sousuke and clocked him in the face? A little voice is telling Rin that you probably shouldn't punch your best friend, but another little voice is urging him to set fire to Sousuke's bed while he is in it tonight.

Makoto finally nods at Sousuke and says something to him before walking toward Rin. Oh no. Oh no, this isn't happening, and Rin realizes panicking probably won't help, but he can't help it.

Makoto sidles right up to him and gives Rin a particularly sweet smile, and all of Rin's thoughts of murder and arson seemingly melt away. Rin attempts to think of something to talk about, but can't come up with anything.

Makoto saves Rin the trouble and whispers, like whatever he has to say is a secret. A secret? What is more secret than Rin's idiotic crush? Did Sousuke actually tell Makoto? Is Rin about to be rejected? Are his feelings about to be reciprocated? How does a person breathe? Was there really a time when Rin could manage coherent thought around Makoto?

"Sousuke tells me that you have been wanting to go see the new animated film about the three kittens who get separated from their mother and go on an adventure?" Makoto whispers. And Makoto looks absolutely delighted by this. Of course Makoto would, he adores cats, and it wouldn't matter to him if it was a kid's movie.

"Um…" Rin tries, but he isn't really able to articulate anything, because all he can do is imagine Makoto calling him RinRin and petting the little Samezuka kitten that Makoto helped Rin tame. Makoto...kittens...and possibly a movie date?

Makoto is still waiting for an answer when Rin sees Sousuke standing behind Makoto mouthing something. It might be, " _Idiot_ ," but Rin thinks it is more likely, " _Say yes_."

"Um, yes?"

Rin poses it more as a question than an answer, but Makoto's response is still absolute delight. Rin thinks Makoto might actually jump up and down in joy, but Makoto has always been more reserved than that. He settles for putting a hand on Rin's shoulder, giving it a squeeze, but it definitely betrays how excited Makoto actually is.

"I've been wanting to see it too," he says, "But Haru doesn't want to, and I can't just go alone to a movie like that. I'm so happy," Makoto says this with such sincerity that Rin kind of wants to watch every cat movie ever made with Makoto.

Rin is still in shock when Haru comes over and joins them. Haru looks at Makoto, and then looks back at Rin. He doesn't say anything, he just makes a, "Hmm," something that sounds almost like an accusation to Rin's ears. Haru then turns his attention fully toward Makoto.

Makoto, still trying to contain his pleasure, turns to his best friend and almost shyly says, "Rin is going to go to Cat Trio with me."

Haru nods, and Rin swears that he sees Haru's vague expression change from suspicious to approving. Rin is very confused, but he doesn't have time to figure any of it out, because Nagisa runs up and pulls Makoto over to him and Rei in order to help with some debate the two were having. Haru, however, stays behind. Rin turns back to find Haru's gaze locked squarely on him. There are times Haru can be quite unnerving.

"Don't hurt him," Haru warns. His voice is calm, but cool, and there is definitely no doubt that this is a threat, and there could be retribution if Rin hurts Makoto. Strangely, this causes a strange rush of hope, because Rin knows what the warning implies. Perhaps Rin's feelings aren't as one-sided as he feared.

Rin doesn't even do Haru the disservice of lying or making an excuse. He just says, "No, I won't. Or I'll try my best not to."

This seems to appease Haru, who leaves Rin to rejoin Makoto. Sousuke soon fills the space Haru vacated, not at all trying to hide the shit-eating grin on his stupid face.

"I hate you," Rin grumbles.

"You do not," Sousuke counters, and it is true, Rin doesn't hate the bastard at all.

"When the movie is done, you should take him to that new cat cafe that opened up last month," Sousuke says, trying very hard not to start laughing again.

As much as it is a joke, it is also a very good idea. "I will," says Rin, because nothing would please him more than to see Makoto covered in cats and eating chocolate cake, two of Makoto's favorite things.

"Do you need me to come along and hold your hand and tell you what to say to him?" Sousuke asks, and this time he doesn't stifle the snicker. The only thing that stops it from becoming a full-fledged guffaw is the look Rin gives him.

"Ha-freaking-ha, that is so funny." Rin knees Sousuke again, this time in the butt. "No, you ass, I don't need you to do that."

"Then remember to use your big-boy words, or hell, any words at all," Sousuke teases him.

Rin and Sousuke have always had the kind of friendship where antagonizing each other played a big role. Still, Rin is not all that amused with this particular line of joking. "How about these words?" Rin asks, and then says sharply, in English, "Fuck. You."

"Aww, don't be like that," Sousuke says, still smirking. "I got you a date, didn't I?"

"I will blame you for everything," Rin tells his friend. And he means it. Good or bad, this one is completely Sousuke's fault.

"I suppose can accept that," Sousuke says and smiles at Rin, one of his rare, sentimental smiles, which betrays what a kind soul Sousuke Yamazaki truly is. Sousuke places a hand in the middle of Rin's back and gently pushes him toward Makoto and the rest of the group. Rin is welcomed immediately by them, and Sousuke follows closely behind.

-fin-

 

**Author's Note:**

> Sousuke's self-sacrificing nature will be the death of me. Sousuke is the type of person who would give everything for Rin. He is simply the best wingman, I have no doubts about that. 
> 
> I am trying my best to write every day. I have been doing really well with this goal :D Please excuse if my writing is a little rusty/stiff. The more I write, the better it gets, so I hope you don't mind me sharing the non-perfect stuff with you all.


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